At a time when many federal politicians are staying as far away as they can from town hall meetings, the Guilford County commissioners are perfectly happy to face their constituents and hear what those voters have to say – whether it’s good or bad.
Now that the 2025-2026 Guilford County fiscal budget process is well underway – a new budget will be adopted in June – the commissioners are holding a series of budget town halls as well as events where people can learn about available county services.
Area residents have three chances to learn about existing county programs, hear what’s going on with the process of forming the upcoming budget, and share feedback on budget priorities and other issues with the commissioners.
The commissioners say the input from the community will help shape the 2025-2026 budget that determines what does and doesn’t get funded from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.
The three sessions will be held on Monday, March 31, Tuesday, April 1, and Monday, April 7, at public schools across Guilford County. In addition to providing input to the commissioners, those who attend will have the opportunity to learn about Guilford County’s available services and programs.
There’s a lot to talk about right now. The Guilford Board of Commissioners has been spending money on new buildings, new programs. The board has also been funding (and planning to fund) $2 billion in school bond repayment – and most property owners have seen their tax bills go up a lot and it looks like there will be another big increase in tax bills in fiscal 2026-2027 once a new countywide revaluation of all real property is complete.
County residents are being encouraged to submit questions ahead of the budget town halls by visiting guilfordcountync.gov/budget-town-halls.
Each session will start at 5:30 p.m. with a “community resources fair” followed by an overview of the current Guilford County budget along with community input from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Here are the dates and locations of the budget town halls and community resource fairs:
Session 1
Date: Monday, March 31
Location: Claxton Elementary School
3720 Pinetop Rd., Greensboro
Hosted by: Board Chair and District 8 Commissioner Melvin “Skip” Alston, Commissioner At-Large Katie “Kay” Cashion, District 5 Commissioner Carly Cooke, and District 3 Commissioner Pat Tillman
Session 2
Date: Tuesday, April 1
Location: Jamestown Elementary School
108 Potter Dr., Jamestown
Hosted by: Board Chair and District 8 Commissioner Melvin “Skip” Alston, Board Vice Chair and District 1 Commissioner J. Carlvena Foster, District 6 Commissioner Brandon Gray-Hill, and District 2 Commissioner Alan Perdue
Session 3
Date: Monday, April 7
Location: Simkins Elementary School
3511 E. Lee St., Greensboro
Hosted by: Board Chair and District 8 Commissioner Melvin “Skip” Alston, and District 7 Commissioner Frankie Jones, Jr., and District 4 Commissioner Mary Beth Murphy
Hey, you all ignoring people in the Northeast and Northwest on purpose?
So it seems.
But then, The Chairman of the Commissioners once referred to the Northwest of the county as ” lilly white”.
I guess that means we don’t matter… to him at least.
Isn’t that racism?
He’s a racebaiter extraordinare in the likes of his heroes, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson! Playing the condescending white liberals in city government
Maybe they consider you as among their ‘safely in our pocket’ Deborah.
Deborah, if it wasn’t for High Point it would be called Greensboro County. The County Panners in the meetings call McLeansville “East Greensboro” when they annex (gobble up) an area for tax revenues.
There are smart ways of increasing land values and quality of living without tax increases for existing residents but that would require looking outside of their GSO bubble. The concept is fairly simple. If they would listen I’d be more than happy to share.
Scott,
what happen to the change in the annexation laws that stopped involuntary annexation.? If I remember correctly a set number of folks living in an area must agree to be annexed.
I will look into the laws. Thanks for bringing this up.
They turned McLeansville into “East Greensboro” when they merged the school districts, a huge mistake. What they want to do is merge the entire County into the City, but who would boss us around, the City or the County? One would have to go (that would be a fight to behold!)
I worked for Emergency Services in the Fire Marshal’s Office eons ago under both Republican and Democrat Boards. They were not as divisive back then, but the City has become larger, and Democratic voters deciding the makeup of the County Commissioners are more numerous.
I don’t think we need more tax money to run the County. There’s enough money to run County services, but there should be better management of the funds and departments. That should happen first before looking at additional tax resources.
Agree!
3 chances to meet with Skip and company? Skip has that money spent and needing more. Based on past history, your “input” is not needed nor wanted. The best thing you can do is vote Skip and his band of theives out of office. I can’t afford their pet projects and their living on the govt dole and paybacks they pilfer from tax payers.
I believe Claxton pays homage to Northwest.
Maybe they consider you as part of the ‘safely in our pocket’ serfs’ Deborah
No, the don’t, especially from me.
What you see in the photograph is the face of the Democrat Party, and I’m not talking about their race.
I wish that Emperor Skippy would get the earful he deserves for not lowering the tax rate to stay revenue neutral as Republican led boards have done in the past. But he would not listen anyway. Neither will his Democrat minions.
We Republicans and Independant’s need to vote these tax raising, resource lowering, private sector projects, non- profit profiteers out of office when the time comes, or we will continue to pay more taxes. The Republicans (Trump Administration) will get things fixed on the Federal level, so we need to get Republicans in office in Guilford County to make life better. It’s already better with Biden and his band of thieves out, because we aren’t paying foreign countries anymore. We can be conservative on the local level too. Go to the ballot box and make your vote count.
Preach on loud and strong brother
I live near Chruch St. and Hwy. 150, Claxton is nowhere near an homage to the Northeast part of the County. All the places listed are within the city limits, which shows the Commissioners are only interested in city voters, the ones who override those of us in the County and make it useless to vote for more conservative candidates. It’s been ages since any representative I felt reflected my views had any chance in he!! getting elected.
I’d go to the meeting at Claxton, but historically, people haven’t been allowed to ask questions or challenge the Commissioners in any meaningful way regarding the budget. It will be the same meeting with no meaningful changes.
What feels most hopeless is that voters from the city are too ignorant to change their minds and put in candidates who could save us from all wasteful spending and taxes. Threatening to cut “critical services” is the game all politicians play while shoving money at fluff that gets flushed down the sewer. Millions in this County are spent on programs that do not benefit the taxpayer, yet voters are threatened with losing fire, police, and ambulance services, or not serving “the children”. It’s old, old, old. And I’m tired.
Hey Deborah, maybe we need to make shirts that read “YOU WORK FOR US, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND”.
Just sayin’
Scott,
“…the Guilford County commissioners are perfectly happy to face their constituents and hear what those voters have to say – whether it’s good or bad.”
My question sir is will you roundly and loudly publicly call them out IF they will not allow or handpick taxpaying citizens wishing to speak?
Yes.
I intend to attend at least one of those meetings, likely the last scheduled ,if my situation permits. Let’s see what happens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RujOFCHsxo
Go here and watch. Make this the battle cry at every meeting during public comment, assuming the (National Socialist) Democrat Party will allow free and open speech. Take up every space available, get up and repeat “I’M MAD AS HELL, AND I”M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!”
We are going to the Claxton meeting. Everybody needs to show up to one of them. Here’s our chance to voice our opposition to this increase.
Preach on sister, loud and strong
Thank you
they don’t want ‘input’ they want my ‘output’ in taxes, fees, assessments . . .